The federal government announced Wednesday that it will expand access to medications for opioid addiction and will launch a dozen studies on the epidemic.

The federal government announced Wednesday that it will expand access to medications for opioid addiction and will launch a dozen studies on the epidemic.

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Updated: 10:19 PM CDT Jul 6, 2016

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WEBVTT ADDICTION A DISASTER. DR. BROOKS: HI, HOW ARE YOU DOING? YOU READY? JEREMY: DR. THOMAS BROOKS MEETS PATIENTS ON SOME OF THEIR MOST PAINFUL DAYS. LIKE LINDA FANELLI, WHO RATED HER PAIN A NINE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOO LINDA: I CAN SIT FOR LIKE 20-30 MINUTES. THEN, I HAVE TO GET UP AND WALK FOR 20-30 MINUTES. THEN, I HAVE TO LAY DOWN. JEREMY: BUT HER TREATMENT PLAN AT NEBRASKA MEDICINE IS ABOUT OPTIONS, OTHER THAN OPIATE MEDICATION. DR. BROOKS: YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY TREAT CHRONIC PAIN, WITHOUT OPIATE MEDICATIONS. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO DO IT. JEREMY: EVERY DAY, DR. BROOKS SEES THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF OPIATE PAINKILLER ADDICTIONS. MAKING ACTUAL PAIN MANAGEMENT EVEN MORE COMPLICATED. DR. BROOKS: GET THEM OFF PAIN MEDICATIONS. GET THEM BACK TO SQUARE ONE. AND RESTART, WITH THE PAIN TREATMENT. JEREMY: WEDNESDAY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IT WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID ADDICTION. AND WILL LAUNCH A DOZEN STUDIES ON THE EPIDEMIC. DR. BROOKS: THAT'S THE FIRST STEP IN THE BATTLE JEREMY: PATIENTS LIKE FANELLI RECOGNIZE THE RISK WITH OPIATES. AND TAKES CARE TO TAKE ONE RESPONSIBLY. BUT BROOKS SAYS WIDER SOLUTIONS WILL TAKE TIME, AND EXTREME RESOURCES. DR. BROOKS: IT'S A DISASTER THAT IS GOING TO NEED FUNDING, ON T BASIS OF LIKE A KATRINA. JEREMY: NOW, THE KEY HURDLE IN ALL THIS? THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ASKED CONGRESS FOR $1.1 BILLION, TO FUND ITS OPIATE EPIDEMIC